Westerville City School District officials plan to distribute a survey to families the week of June 15, 2020, and use the results to help inform decisions regarding the 2020-21 academic year.
“There is a lot that remains unknown about what a return to school will look like and many decisions yet to be made,” said Superintendent Dr. John R. Kellogg. “Our families already provided us with a wealth of feedback during earlier engagement opportunities, but as if often the case, that feedback generated additional questions, perspectives, and priorities we’d like them to help us with.”
Board of Education members held a work session on June 8 as part of their regular meeting to discuss the 2020-21 school year and all that it entails. The discussion focused on several key areas: Remote Learning, Transportation and Facilities Operations, Building Operations, Communications and Community Engagement, Human Resources, and Policy. Anyone interested in viewing this discussion may do so by watching a video of the proceedings.
Board liaisons have been working with district teams charged with reviewing approximately 300 action items identified through feedback obtained from staff and families. Planning is being approached according to the following premises: there will still be a virus in the fall, there will not be a vaccine by the time school is set to open, and there will be an expectation for teaching and learning to continue.
“While there has been limited state and federal guidance on what school should or could look like in the fall, planning for the 2020-21 school year is being approached from three possible scenarios,” Kellogg explained. “Our planning is being built around the scenario that schools reopen under a 100% distance learning model, that they open under a 100% in-person instructional model, or that they open under a hybrid model with some in-person instruction and some distance learning.”
Kellogg said the district is working with Battelle to construct and administer the survey.
“This is important information we’re seeking,” Kellogg added. “I’d really like to see us get close to a 100 percent participation rate with our families.”